EHF: EHC 2023 – Belgium, England, Spain and Austria contest men’s Pool A

Men’s Pool A features a wealth of medalists on the highest level with reigning Olympic champions Belgium, Indoor World Cup winners Austria, 2019 Euro silver medalists and 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medal winners England in the mix. Here’s a look at their line-ups for the EuroHockey Championship in Mönchengladbach

Men’s Pool A  

Austria 

• World ranking: 18th 
• EuroHockey Championship appearances: 5 
• Best finish: 7th (2009, 2017) 

Overview: Austria are the one side not to have played in the 2021 edition of the competition, earning their place via the qualifiers route with victory in Vienna last summer. They are lowest ranked side but do have a wealth of know-how in the panel with many indoor World Cup winners in the line-up. 

Goal machine Michael Körper (pictured above) has over 200 international goals between indoor and outdoor fixtures and is their big threat. He added three more to that total at the end of July in a series win over Chile. Körper is one of six Hamburg-based players in the line-up with Xaver Hasun his captain at club and Austria level. 

Benjamin Stanzl returned to the international scene in January following a three-year break. Along with Körper, Oliver Binder, Leon Thörnblom, Hasun, goalkeeper Mateusz Szymczyk, Alexander Bele and Fabian Unterkircher, they all played in the 2017 Euros when the side finished in seventh place.  

On the flip side, Moritz Zotter and Jakob Kastner are the freshest faces while Mateusz Nyckowiak and Fülöp Losonci were members of the Under-21 Euro indoor winning side in Nymburk. 

 Belgium  

• EuroHockey Championship appearances: 18 
• Best finish: Winners (2019)  

Overview: National coach Michel van den Heuvel has given a trio of young stars their opening to make their mark in Mönchengladbach: Arno Van Dessel in midfield and Nelson Onana and William Ghislain in attack. They have their chance while long-term regulars Tom Boon, Sebastien Dockier and Tanguy Cosyns will not be there this time around. 

 Van den Heuvel explains: “We saw during the Pro League that the enthusiasm, intensity and athletic ability of our young players had a huge positive influence on the way we play. We’re also noticing a shift in the game, where fast players who have the ability to keep running for an entire match are now the norm. Nelson, Arno and William can bring that to our team.” 

Belgium’s Loick Luypaert. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics

There is still an abundance of star quality with John-John Dohmen set to break the world caps record while Vincent Vanasch and Loic Van Doren jostling for the goalkeeper duties. Arther van Doren, Felix Denayer, Florent van Aubel, Gauthier Boccard and Loïck Luypaert have over 200 caps. Emmanuel Stockbroekx is back with the Red Lions after a head injury kept him out since 2022. 

Official press release: https://hockey.be/fr/red-lions-trois-jeunes-talents-dans-la-selection-pour-le-championnat-deurope-2023/ 

England  

• EuroHockey Championship appearances: 19 
• Best finish: Winners (2009)  

Overview: England are a side on the up since Paul Revington took on the head coach role, winning bronze at the Commonwealth Games while they led the FIH Pro League until just a couple of weeks before the end of the competition. They have risen from sixth to third in the world rankings 

Revington, said: “I’m pleased to announce such a strong England team for the EuroHockey Championships. We’ve had some really promising performances over the last 12 months and I want to see the team continue that form and momentum in Germany. 

England celebrate in 2021. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics

“We will face top quality opposition again throughout the event, and I know this team will be excited to deal with each challenge they encounter throughout the tournament.” 

A key feature is Nick Bandurak who has scored 37 times across 44 England and Great Britain matches.  He adds to the shooting prowess of Sam Ward who has 107 goals on his ledger. Conor Williamson is the bolter in the panel with the new Surbiton signing playing in his debut tournament. 

Official press release: https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/media/news/england-hockey-announce-mens-and-womens-squad-for-eurohockey-championships 

Spain  

• World ranking: 7th  
• EuroHockey Championship appearances: 19  

• Best finish: Winners – 2 times (1974, 2005)  

Overview: The two-time champions are hoping to hit the ground running after a strong preparation phase in which they won the centenary tournament in Barcelona, beating India and drawing with the Netherlands before winning the final against England in a shoot-out. 

They followed up with two heavy wins over Austria in uncapped games and they are a side that looks to be maturing well. They have stepped up in the last two years after Quico Cortes, Miguel Delas, Marc Salles, Pau Quemada, David Alegre, Xavi Lleonart, Josep Romeu and Vincent Ruiz – who all played in 2021 – stepped away after earning almost 2,000 caps between them. 

Quique Gonzalez (right) will be a key feature for Spain. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics

Marc Miralles captains the side ahead of a new move to HC Bloemendaal in the Netherlands while they have Joaquin Menini – an Olympic champion with Argentina before switching to Spain – in the panel to bring big game know-how. 

Official press release: https://www.rfeh.es/lista-la-convocatoria-de-la-absoluta-masculina-para-el-eurohockey-2023/